Lobelia plant named ‘USLOB0901’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘USLOB0901’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; continuously and freely flowering habit; dark blue-colored flowers; and relatively high temperature tolerant.

Botanical designation: Lobelia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USLOB0901’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant, botanically known as Lobelia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘USLOB0901’.

The new Lobelia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Lobelia cultivars with good vigor, attractive and stable flower coloration and tolerance to high temperatures.

The new Lobelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Sep. 26, 2005 of Lobelia hybrida ‘Hot Water Blue’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Lobelia hybrida ‘Dark Blue Angel’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant with the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan on Aug. 28, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the Lobelia plant by vegetative cuttings in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since Sep. 2, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lobelia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USLOB0901’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USLOB0901’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Continuously and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Dark blue-colored flowers.     -   5. Relatively high temperature tolerant.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Hot Water Blue’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more compact than and not as         open as plants of ‘Hot Water Blue’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia have darker blue-colored flowers         than plants of ‘Hot Water Blue’.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ from plants of the male parent, ‘Dark Blue Angel’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia have more mounding habit than         plants of ‘Dark Blue Angel’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia and ‘Dark Blue Angel’ differ in         flower color as plants of ‘Dark Blue Angel’ have purple-colored         flowers.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of Lobelia ‘Regatta Sapphire’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Lobelia differed from plants of ‘Regatta Sapphire’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more compact than and not as         open as plants of ‘Regatta Sapphire’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia had darker blue-colored flowers         than plants of ‘Regatta Sapphire’.     -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia were more high temperature-tolerant         than plants of ‘Regatta Sapphire’.

Plants of the new Lobelia can also be compared to plants of Lobelia ‘Fountain Blue’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Lobelia differed from plants of ‘Fountain Blue’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Fountain Blue’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia were more high temperature-tolerant         than plants of ‘Fountain Blue’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lobelia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Lobelia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘USLOB0901’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘USLOB0901’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the autumn in 12.5-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 38° C., night temperatures ranged from 9° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to 10,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were seven weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia hybrida ‘USLOB0901’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Lobelia hybrida ‘Hot Water Blue’, not             patented.         -   Male parent.—Lobelia hybrida ‘Dark Blue Angel’, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 22 days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 25 days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium in density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit;             freely branching habit with about 15 lateral branches per             plant each primary lateral developing multiple secondary             laterals, pinching enhances lateral branch development;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 26 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 13 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             146A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 8 mm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Shallowly and sparsely serrated.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146B; venation, close to 137C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement, form and habit.—Solitary axillary             flowers with three broad lower (two laterals and one lip)             petals and two narrower upper (banner) petals, petals fused             towards the base into a narrow tube; freely flowering habit             with about 21 to 22 flowers and flower buds per lateral stem             at one time; flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Under greenhouse conditions,             plants begin flowering about seven weeks after planting.             Under outdoor conditions, plants begin flowering during the             spring and flower continuously until frost in California;             flowering indeterminate with new flowers overgrowing older             flowers and leaves.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual             flowers is highly dependent on environmental conditions;             flowers typically last about three to four days on the             plant; flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to N77C.         -   Flower size.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 8 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter at base.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, petals             fused at the base into a narrow tube; three broad lower (two             laterals and one lip) petals and two narrower upper (banner)             petals. Three lower petals: Lobe length: About 8 mm. Lobe             width: About 6 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Two upper petals: Lobe length: About 6 mm. Lobe             width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Rounded.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Color, all petals: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 97B to 97C. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 97D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 99C;             towards the base, close to NN155D; central spots, close to             N144B; nectar guides, close to 99A; color does not fade with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 96D;             color does not fade with development. Throat: Close to 100D;             tiny flecks, close to 100C. Tube: Close to 100B to 100C.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at             the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 7 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 147A. Color, lower surface: Close to             147B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Aspect: About 45° from the lateral stem axis. Strength:             Moderately strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             Close to 147A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             five. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to             95C. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate.             Anther color: Close to 202B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma             color: Close to 96D. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color:             Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 1° C. to about 40° C.;     relatively high temperature tolerant. 

1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘USLOB0901’ as illustrated and described. 